Huge fire in Strabane Town centre, please avoid. Looks like a local business was struck by lightning. pic.twitter.com/0IteMh2BEd

— Aodhán Harkin (@AodhanHarkin) July 4, 2021

FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING a large fire at a coffin makers in Strabane, Co Tyrone.

Emergency services are at the scene of the fire at O’Doherty & Sons on Railway Street in the border town. The business has a history of over 100 years at the location. 

The PSNI has said that the blaze is ongoing and are urging people to avoid the area. 

“Police are advising the public that due to a fire on Railway Street in Strabane, they should avoid the area to allow emergency services to deal with the blaze. Our officers are at the scene, please follow their directions,” the PSNI said in a tweet. 

Doherty’s coffin maker business struck by lightning in Strabane. pic.twitter.com/n6kqHsz9Kl

— Raymond McCarron Daydreamer (@workingsux) July 4, 2021

A thunderstorm warning is place across all of Northern Ireland and some counties in the Republic, with several unconfirmed reports from witnesses that the fire was started by a lightning strike. 

Local Alliance Party councillor Stephen Donnelly said that there were “deeply disturbing images emerging from Strabane town centre”.

“Thankful to the fire service as they seek to bring the blaze under control, and my thoughts are with the businesses and workers impacted,” he tweeted this evening.